Ships Turn Around
by thehopelessandromantic
Summary: A timeline of Ruby and Fernando's relationship starting in Mexico of 1959 up until their reconciliation in modern time. It also will include a couple of short one-shot chapters covering Ruby's rocky relationship with Donna.


_Welcome to my Fernando and Ruby fanfic! This story will cover their entire timeline. The first part will take place in Mexico of 1959, the middle will be a series of one-shots covering the important parts of Ruby's relationship with Donna, and then the final part of my story will be my take on what happens after Fernando and Ruby reunite. Also, I will not hold back. I will include language, violence, drinking, and sex if I feel that it is necessary, so be warned. But most importantly, ENJOY._

Chapter One

 **Mexico, June of 1959**

In a bar full of cigarette smoke and spilt drink, Ruby Sheridan was undoubtedly a sight for sore eyes. She was twenty years old, tall, and had the most stunning head of wavy blonde hair. But in addition to her naturally beautiful features were several layers of stunning fabrics draped around her body, all bright in color and heavily decorated with sequins and rhinestones. Her sparkling red dress fell to about her knees and matched her lipstick perfectly. On top of the dress, she wore a leather jacket covered in expensive-looking stones that reflected every beam of colorful light that fell upon her. She moved gracefully around the stage in her silver heels, swaying and moving to every beat of the song that came out of her mouth.

 _Tonight the_  
 _Super Trouper beams are gonna blind me_  
 _But I won't feel blue_  
 _Like I always do_  
 _Cause somewhere in the crowd there's you_

She wore her most convincing smile as she struck her final pose, feeling every light around her begin to dim besides the spotlight that illuminated her own body. Performing was in her blood. She had talent, class, and a whole lot of glamour. But tonight for some reason, she just felt vulnerable. This bar was not the type of place that she was used to performing. She preferred singing in hotels, halls, and even arenas. The group of rowdy soldiers in the front row gave her an unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach as she watched them get drunk from the corner of her eye. A wave of relief rushed through her body when the spotlight finally faded, marking the end of the show.

The backstage area was an absolute disaster. Ruby was used to having her own dressing room set up with candy and flowers, but this time, the entire band shared one crowded room that smelled like unclean bodies and cheap liquor. Ruby hurried past her guitar player and pianist who both had cigarettes hanging from their lips, filling the room with thick smoke.

"Can you two not do that right next to my costumes, please?" Ruby snapped angrily at the two men. She moved swiftly behind the rack of clothes to hide herself from view while she changed into a regular outfit. She pulled off the glamorous costume, tossing it to the floor without bothering to hang it. Quickly, she slipped back into a casual blue summer dress and sandals, glad that the itching sensation caused by her costumed was finally gone. When she emerged from behind the rack, the band manager was standing there with his arms crossed.

"Not going out to greet anyone tonight?" he asked her, raising his eyebrows.

It was true, Ruby never missed a chance to mingle with the audience members. She loved nothing more than being flattered with compliments after a performance. Nothing made her feel more confident than shaking the hands of men who would become speechless in her presence. But tonight was a different story.

"No, I will not be going out there." she said with a tone of deep annoyance. "And I will never play one of these places again. I can hardly believe the crowd that came in here. I mean, did you see what they were wearing?"

Ruby's manager studied her for a moment with a judgmental glare in his eyes. It was no secret that Ruby had grown up spoiled, and her sense of entitlement only became stronger as she gained more fame. Ruby strutted out of the dressing room, swinging her purse over her shoulder and leaving her costume on the floor for somebody else to pick up. She was going to return to the hotel early tonight and catch up on the sleep that was often hard to come by when touring.

She left through the back exit of the bar in order to avoid running into any of the classless drunks that were probably dying to meet her and lay their hands all over her slim body. She descended the small staircase that was attached to the back door and stepped out into the alleyway, pleased to feel the night air filling her lungs. She could smell the secondhand smoke lingering in her hair almost as strongly as her Chanel perfume.

It was a dark, almost black night, although there were plenty of stars shining in the sky to help light the roads. Once she emerged from the alleyway and stepped onto the sidewalk, she waved her hand in the air to hail a taxi, but before she could walk to the back door of the car, a man stumbled in front of her, slamming into the vehicle and nearly losing his balance.

"Jesus Christ." Ruby said, taking a quick step backwards. The man had given her a fright; she hadn't seen him coming.

"Lo siento-" the man stammered, laughing awkwardly and still leaning against the taxi, clearly too drunk to stand on his own two feet.

Ruby did not take any more steps towards the taxi. Although the initial shock of this man's appearance had worn off, he looked absolutely filthy in his torn white shirt which was stained with drink and sweat. On the bottom half of his body, he wore a ripped and dirt infested pair of farmer's jeans that looked like they had to be at least four or five years old. The only thing remotely neat about him was the blue jacket that he had apparently managed to keep clean, appearing to be part of a uniform. Ruby recognized the man as one of the rowdy soldiers front the front row of the audience.

"Are you going to get away from my cab?" Ruby asked with attitude. She didn't even know whether or not the man spoke English but she somehow hoped that the tone of her voice would encourage him to stumble away from the car.

"Ah-American." he said, managing to straighten himself up a bit. He goggled at her and his face lit up. "You're Ruby? Ruby Sheridan? HEY GUYS-" He turned to look at a group of other soldiers who were still standing outside of the bar, shouting and goofing around without a care in the world.

"No!" Ruby said sharply. "Please! Don't! I'm too tired to meet anyone!" And for the first time, her voice was not bitter, but desperate. The last thing she wanted was to be surrounded by a group of drunk men when she was completely alone without anyone from the band looking out for her.

The man took a step forward, clearly having a difficult time keeping his balance. "We're not always like this." he said stupidly, shooting another look back at his soldier friends. "I swear we're not complete assholes." And he held out his hand for Ruby to shake. "I'm Fernando. Fernando Cienfuegos."

Ruby looked strangely at his hand. Surely he didn't actually expect her to shake it!? But as Fernando inched forward a bit more into the soft yellow light that was coming from a streetlamp nearby, Ruby felt something inside of her relax. Without even thinking about it, she reached out and shook his hand. He was just a little bit taller than her, dark haired, tan skinned, had a little bit of scruff on his chin, and gentle brown eyes that were charming despite his sloppy appearance. Ruby pretended not to notice that he was handsome. After all, she had no interest in dating let alone dating a poor man like Fernando.

"You have amazing skin." he commented as her hand touched his. "Smooth." He looked down at her hand as if he wanted to kiss it, but he let go after giving it a gentle squeeze.

Ruby scoffed although she secretly didn't mind the flattery. "You're just saying that because you're wasted."

Fernando met her hazel eyes and shook his head. "When a man pays you a compliment, I think the proper reply is _thank you_." It was true, he had probably downed one too many beers at Ruby's concert, but he was not nearly as addled as his friends.

Ruby stood up taller, almost becoming level with Fernando's height. "Excuse me?" she said, narrowing her eyes in disbelief. A look of incredulity fell over her face as her cheeks reddened. Never in her life had someone spoken to her in this manner, especially not after she had just given a spectacular performance.

"Look," Fernando sputtered, finally standing completely upright, "you are a wonderful musician, and you are more talented than anyone we've ever had perform in this bar. But that doesn't make you better than everyone else." Although he was unafraid to be upfront and brutally honest with Ruby, his voice remained calm. Almost gentle.

Ruby flipped her hair over her shoulder, revealing more of her face. "Sorry...Fernando, is it? But if you think for one second that a bunch of drunks like you have even half as much class as I do, you are sadly mistaken. I saw you and your little drinking buddies in the front row acting like a bunch of mental patients."

Fernando's eyes never left Ruby's. Although there was undoubtedly a hint of mild surprise in his gaze, Ruby couldn't help but think that she saw a smile tugging at his lips. He laughed softly. "So we were a little bit loud and obnoxious." He admitted. "That doesn't make us terrible people. I'm standing out here paying you a compliment after paying to see your show. I'm not trying to hit on you or touch you or make you uncomfortable. But how many wealthy men have tried to get you into bed before? I bet a lot. Do you seriously think they've got more class than us poor soldiers?"

Ruby felt her face burning as she blushed a deep shade of scarlet underneath the lamp light. She felt a surge of frustration shooting through her, not because of what Fernando was saying, but because of how accurate it was. "Fernando, I can't say that I've had a pleasure meeting you. Sadly, this is where I must leave you. Please get out of the way so that I can return to my hotel."

But Fernando did not step out of the way. "Hotel de Rosa?" he asked.

Ruby looked at him suspiciously. "How do you know where I'm staying? And anyway, that's really none of your business."

The taxi driver was now staring curiously out the window to see what was taking so long. He gestured for Ruby to get into the back seat.

"Miss Sheridan," Fernando laughed, still blocking the car door, "there is only one nice hotel around here. It's not very difficult to guess where you're staying. Lucky for you, I'm headed that way too."

Ruby shook her head. "No you are not."

"But I am." Fernando argued with a little smile. He was clearly enjoying the annoyance that he caused her. "I'm not going to bother you, I just need to share the cab. I won't even speak to you starting now." He opened the door of the taxi and gestured for her to get inside.

Once again, Ruby not only fail to thank him for holding the door, but she gave him a menacing stare. "I don't need a man to open doors for me."

But Fernando kept his promise and did not speak at all. He got into the taxi with a bit of difficulty, still stumbling over his own feet as he collapsed into the seat. He looked straight forward and allowed Ruby to tell the taxi driver where they were headed to. His dirty hand jumped to the top of his head and he rain his tired fingers through his dark hair.

Ruby relaxed against the seat and leaned her forehead against the window. She spent the first half of their car ride admiring the little shops that surrounded the streets. She tried to focus on the sights and the names of the buildings but Fernando's presence in the car was too strong. She turned to him after another minute of looking out the window. "Do you even have money to pay for this cab ride or am I going to have to cover it?"

Fernando still didn't acknowledge her whatsoever. He stared straight ahead into the night.

Ruby didn't like this game at all. She was used to people treating her like a princess and giving her whatever she wanted whenever she wanted it. She gently nudged Fernando in the arm with her elbow. "Would you cut it out? I'm just asking you a simple question."

He still did not open his mouth to speak, though he pulled his wallet out of his pocket to answer her question, clearly showing her that he had enough money for the ride. Ruby felt a bit embarrassed after that and decided to keep quiet for a while. Her hands gripped at her bare knees which peaked out from underneath the dark blue dress. She shifted her legs uncomfortably, feeling overdressed compared to Fernando even though her outfit was what she would consider casual. There was no ideal way to pass the time in this awkward situation.

Suddenly, the driver made a sharp turn onto a side street, and Ruby slid into Fernando for a quick moment. She could feel his denim pants against her bare leg and the stiffness of his jacket against her arm. "Shit. Sorry." she mumbled, instantly scooting back over to her side of the car. But to her amazement, she hadn't been repulsed by his touch. It didn't matter that he wore stained clothes, it didn't matter than he smelled of cigars and beer, there was something comforting about it.

"Maybe you should put you seat belt on."

Ruby fought hard not to smile. She felt triumphant for finally getting him to talk. Her brain thought long and hard for a snarky reply, but instead, she leaned over and put her seat belt on. "Good idea."

Five minutes later, the driver dropped them off in front of Hotel de Rosa. Hotel de Rosa was tall and beige, detailed with intricate architecture and designs that bordered every window.

Ruby's feet hurt the second that she stepped out onto the sidewalk. Usually she wasn't this tired, but today had worn her out unlike ever before. She looked towards Fernando as they approached the hotel doors. "So, what are you doing here anyway?" she questioned him. "I'm really not trying to be rude, but a guy like you doesn't typically stay at a hotel like this."

Fernando chuckled and nodded his head. "You mean, a guy like me can't afford a room at a hotel like this. But that doesn't mean I can't stay here."

Ruby gave him a quizzical look. She studied the mischievous and youthful smile that was widening on his lips.

"I sleep in the hammock out back in the gardens." he admitted. His voice was cautious but completely honest.

"You what!?" Ruby yelled. She was completely unaware of the few heads that turned to look her way.

Fernando gently clutched her arm, stumbling a bit more as they got nearer and nearer to the front doors. "Come on, we've got to go around the back. I can't walk through the lobby looking like this."

Ruby scoffed and turned to stare at him with wide eyes and her mouth still dropped open in a disgusted sort of way. "I'm not going anywhere with you. I can't believe you just crash at a hotel like this! What kind of person does that?" She was standing tall again with one hand on her hip. Everything about her suddenly looked extra clean and well-groomed even though she had just put on a two hour show filled with dancing and singing.

Fernando did not take offense at all. He was used to these kind of insults and comments that made him feel inferior to other, wealthier people. "People who have no money can't afford a king sized bed, Miss Sheridan." he answered her. "Can you imagine that? No. Of course you can't." Once again his voice didn't contain the least bit of anger or resentment. There was just a bit of disappointment lurking behind his gentle eyes. "Well, I guess this is where we part ways then." He stopped a few feet before the double doors. "I'm gonna walk around the back to my hammock."

Ruby gaped at him. This was surely the part where she was supposed to walk away, relieved to finally get rid of this man, but her feet didn't seem to want to move. "Don't you have a home to go to?" she asked. Although there was still an iciness in her voice, there was also the slightest bit of genuine concern.

Fernando finally allowed himself a small smile. "Yes, of course I have a home. But I live about two hundred miles from here on a farmland." A dreamy expression crossed his face when he thought about his homeland and how comfortable he felt when surrounded by the fresh country air and grass. "I can't head home until I get enough money to buy a train ticket back." he explained to Ruby. "I barely had enough money to make it up here, but one of the guys that I was in the war with...he...well, let's just say he passed away. The funeral was last week."

The mere thought of living on a farmland absolutely appalled Ruby, but at the same time she slowly began to allow her attitude and superior personality to melt away. "How are you going to get the money?" she questioned him. She was now completely rooted to the spot where she stood, almost forgetting to worry about who saw her chatting up Fernando.

"I've been helping clean dishes at a cafe nearby. I'll have enough money within the next few weeks."

Ruby met his eyes and did not look away, her face squashed into an express of uncertainty as her brain jumped back and forth between sympathy and distaste. "And I suppose you wouldn't allow a woman to help you out?" She began to take her moneybag back out of her purse. To her, giving Fernando a bit of money was hardly a generous gesture. She had more money that she knew what to do with.

"No. absolutely not." he protested. "That wouldn't make me much of a gentleman, now would it?"

Ruby rolled her eyes at him and extracted a handful of pesos from the moneybag. "Mr. Cienfuegos, I'm afraid you weren't even a gentleman before you met me." She offered a little chuckle and tried to hand him the money, but he only stepped back further.

"I could never." His voice was stronger and more firm that it had been all night long.

There was a long awkward silence in which they continued to stare deep into one another's eyes, both of them somehow unable to look away for a long period of time.

"Well," Fernando said softly, finally breaking the silence. "I'm sorry to have been a burden to you tonight, Miss Sheridan." He gave what he thought was an apologetic little nod. "I'm sorry to have presented myself in this state-" he gestured to his messy shirt and jeans, "but this is the kind of crowd you're going to get when you play a bar. Maybe someday if I'm lucky, I will see one of your shows again at a much nicer venue." He looked into those deep hazel eyes for one more moment before deciding that it was the appropriate moment to walk away. He fought the desire to stay in her presence just a little bit longer. He wasn't at all used to speaking with a person like Ruby, but he knew that he had already caused her enough annoyance and frustration.

Ruby allowed him to turn around and start heading down the little stone path that looped around the back of the hotel. She herself was about to head into the lobby when something made her follow Fernando. She was instantly angry with herself, wondering what the hell was wrong with her. Her body seemed to be thinking for itself and her mind felt like it had been consumed by thick fog. "Hold on.." she called after him, speeding up in order to catch up with his strides.

Fernando turned around and did his best to hide the instant excited reaction that overpowered his entire being. "What is it?" he asked sweetly.

"You're not a burden." said Ruby, sighing. It had caused her actual pain to say these words. She hated admitting when her behavior was wrong. "And even though I stick to my belief that you definitely are NOT a gentleman, you aren't just some rowdy drunk either. I shouldn't have called you that."

Fernando extended his hand, knowing that it was a long shot, but deciding to try anyway. "Would you like to walk?" he asked.

Ruby bit her lip. Although she secretly wanted to follow him down the path for another couple of minutes, she had been raised to stay clear of men like Fernando. She couldn't really avoid the fact that she had inherited all of the snobby, rude behaviors that her mother had taught to her.

Fernando laughed aloud at the look of contemplation on her face. He shook his head in disbelief. "You know what, Ruby Sheridan? You should learn to say yes more often." And without warning, he took her hand in his, beginning to lead her down the stone path that was lit by nothing but the starlight.

The distant sound of cars could be heard from beyond the hotel grounds, but even more pleasant was the sound of the little fountain on the left side of the hotel. A few guests were still outside sitting in the lawn chairs and having a few drinks, but for the most part, most guests seemed to be inside.

"It's crazy, isn't it?" Fernando asked, deciding to break the awkward silence. "It's such a beautiful Summer night and everyone is in their room."

Ruby held her tongue, unwilling to admit that she was much more of an indoor girl. She assumed that Fernando probably already knew this. "So, how do you know such good English?" she questioned him, changing the subject.

"My mother." he said with a reminiscent gleam in his eyes. "She teaches English and wanted to make sure that I learned it early on in life. When I was little, she used to tell me that one day I would want to move to America to find a good job and make a family."

"But..you're still here." Ruby observed, trying not to sound rude.

Fernando nodded proudly. "This is my home. The farmland is where I belong. And I like being a soldier defending the land that I love so much." He could feel her pulse racing in his hand.

They looped around the back of the hotel property and Fernando pointed to a little group of hedges that sat a few yards away from the stone path. "That's where I have been staying." he admitted without the least bit of shame or embarrassment. He lead her around the hedges and showed her the hammock that was poorly tied to the branches of two palm trees. It was true that none of the guests were likely to find this spot. It was well hidden behind the hedges and a good distance from the path.

"I can't believe you sleep here. It must be terrible." Ruby expressed in a whisper. It was true that she disapproved of him sleeping around for free on such a nice property, but at the same time, she finally had gotten to understand the details of what it was like to be poor.

Fernando beamed at her and shook his head. He collapsed back into the hammock and relaxed, looking up at the sky. "It's not that bad, really. Come and take a look at how beautiful the stars are."

Ruby's heart hammered in her chest. She couldn't possibly lay next to him. She barely knew him. She squirmed a bit where she stood and tried to reason with herself. _Why are you so uncomfortable? Plenty of wealthy, married men have flat out asked to take you to bed with them! This guy just wants you to share the hammock!_

"You don't have to." Fernando said, detecting her uncertainty. He sat up again. "I hope you're not going to go straight inside and tell the staff that I'm sleeping out here."

Ruby narrowed her eyes, annoyed that he would assume something like that. "Is that the kind of person that you think I am?"

Fernando raised his eyebrows. "Well-"

And it suddenly hit Ruby. That was _exactly_ the kind of person she was. She felt herself blushing again and looked back towards the hotel. For the first time in her life, she found that she was actually ashamed of herself. "It's late and tomorrow we are traveling up to Mexico City. I should get to sleep."

Fernando nodded and rose from the hammock, walking back over to shake her hand. He felt a jolt of electricity in his hand as he touched her soft skin again, a slight shiver dancing down his spine. Taking a chance, he brought her hand to his lips and placed a kiss upon it. He still felt himself unwilling to leave her. "Suppose I walk you back to the front door?"

Ruby nodded. "Um...yes...okay." She had felt something in her stomach flutter when he kissed her hand. His lips were incredibly soft and very warm despite the cool night air. They seemed to have left a trace on her skin. She tried to forget all about it as they walked back to the stone path and followed it around the other side of the hotel towards the front. She still kept an eye out, nervous that someone might see her walking with Fernando, but the concern seemed to lessen as they continued down the deserted path.

Once the two of them were back in front of the hotel, a small bus pulled up alongside the curb and several tired looking people stepped out, all of them smoking cigarettes. Ruby felt her hand seize up and she instantly pulled it out of Fernando's grip. Her band mates approached the double doors at the same exact time as she and Fernando did.

"Ruby?" called the band manager, his face displaying intense surprise as he looked Fernando up and down. "I thought you would be in bed by now. Who is your friend here?"

For what seemed like the millionth time that night, Ruby felt an undeniable internal struggle. "He's nobody." she snapped, angry at her manager for no particular reason. She didn't have to look at Fernando to see how disappointed he felt. His hurt lingered in the air like a chemical. She looked awkwardly at her band members for a couple of seconds, hoping that they did not suspect that she had actually been getting to know Fernando. If they knew that she was capable of showing compassion, her entire reputation would be ruined. After a moment of fast contemplation, she decided that she at least owed Fernando a quick goodbye, but when she turned to say the words, he had already gone. The band seemed to shake it off like it was no big deal and everyone gradually started to file inside of the lobby to turn in for the night.

After everyone had showered and settled into their beds, Ruby sat alone in her room, looking out the window down on the grounds. She tried to find the group of hedges that hid Fernando's hammock, but she could not seem to locate it all the way from the top floor in the dark. She was furious with herself for feeling a little twinge of sadness at how she had called Fernando _nobody_. She wanted so badly just to forget about it and brush the thought out of her mind just as she had done all of the other times when she dismissed people who were poorer and plainer than she was. However, no matter how many times she went over it in her head, she could not understand why this time she was so bothered with the way in which the end of their short meeting had gone. After about twenty minutes, she angrily stomped over to the bed and took a few of her sleeping pills. She was not in the mood to pack right now, there was just too much on her mind. She would do it in the morning.

Two o'clock in the morning came and went. Then three in the morning passed by.

"Stupid fucking pills." Ruby grumbled to herself as she lay there looking up at the ceiling. Her mind was still on Fernando and the way his warm mouth had felt when it kissed her hand. She kicked and flailed her legs around in anger like a little child, hating how conflicted she felt right now, and even more, hating that she didn't understand her own feelings. She punched her pillow, hoping that it would be more comfortable now, and she turned over for the fifth time that night.

"Tomorrow you are going to get on a bus and go to Mexico City. You are going to play fancy hotels and restaurants like you actually enjoy doing." She repeated this aloud ten or fifteen times before finally falling asleep, allowing the vision of warm brown eyes to fade into blackness.

"Ruby! Are you awake?"

A member of her band was pounding furiously on the door.

Ruby blinked her eyes open and cursed. It was already eight o'clock in the morning although it felt like mere minutes had passed since she had fallen asleep. "I'm awake! I'm almost ready!" she lied. She rushed to slide into another one of her so-called casual outfits. She wore a glittery gold top and pair of high-waisted black pants.

That morning, everything was a blur. Even the memory of meeting Fernando the night before slipped in and out of her mind as she hurried to throw all of her scattered belongings into her suitcase. She was typically more careful with such expensive luggage, but today she knew that she was very late. She had forgotten to set the alarm clock on her nightstand. She hurried through the hallways down into the hotel lobby where everyone was waiting for her.

"So the queen has finally showed." the manager said sarcastically. "The bus has been waiting for twenty minutes."

Ruby shot him a nasty look but said nothing as she tripped over her own feet hurrying out the door, just as Fernando had tripped over his feet so many times the previous night.

It was only when the bus started rolling away, leaving behind Hotel de Rosa, that she remembered him.

Fernando.

 _The 1959 portion of the story will be continued in the next chapter! Please review and be patient with me. I promise I will post another chapter before the middle of next week._


End file.
